Shadow Cast
by 11cleyva
Summary: The young Shikadai Nara had started to notice his feelings for a certain boy in his homeroom class. He doesn't understand what they mean just yet. Set during the Boruto show time
1. What a drag

**This takes place still during the Boruto show, way before my other story came to a close.**

"Class again?" Boruto slumped into his chair in the third row of the Academy class room. His friend, Shikadai sat next to him. The boy looked like his dad with the hair and bored expression, but had his mother's blue eyes. He sat with his homemade bento and watched the other children come into the room. Shino Sensei stood at the front of the class taking count of all the attendees for the class. Shikadai perked up when he saw one of his friends, Metal Lee come into the class.

Metal was like his father, green jumpsuit, bowl cut and the over abundance of energy. Though he did have a tendency to become flustered easily just by other's watching him. But Shikadai help it, he had an issue with staring at Metal. He didn't know why, he just always caught himself glancing over at him at the window seats.

"But you have class every day." Shikadai finally answered, making his friend and son of the 7th huff as he sat down. He knew that Shino Sensei would drone on and on about the basics of studies. Boruto wanted to learn how to fight not how to figure the shadow of a tree at 5 o'clock.

"At least, Shino Sensei is nice, it could be another sensei." Shikadai looked at the blonde boy, who looked at his teacher and his ever growing green coat that made it to his knees today.

"Sure..."

"Be lucky, Shino Sensei doesn't get mad at you more often." Sadara butted in, she pushed her red framed glasses up higher in her nose. The two boys turned to look at her but didn't make any notice.

"He's just going easy on Boruto because his mom was on a team with Sensei." Inojin said as he sat down at his desk behind Shikadai. The Nara wished he could just have a regular class where everyone got along instead of trying to outdo each other.

"He is not!" the blonde boy yelled making all in the class turn to face him.

"Boruto! Sit down." Shino called out to him as a few more stragglers came into class. A small sarcastic laugh came from Sadara as she sat down next to ChōChō.

Shikadai just kept his eyes to the boy that walked up to Shino Sensei to turn in the homework from the night before. The tall man reached out for it, Metal turned to go back to his seat. But he noticed the teal eyes of Shikadai staring at him, he couldn't help but to feel flustered as he went back to his seat by the window, the trance was broken by Sumire taking a seat in front of him.

xxxxxxx

"What do you guys think? Think you can take me on?" Boruto said putting his hamburger down on the tray. He held a small hand-held game along with Inojin. The sickly pale boy just gave a smile, like his father would, and nodded.

"What about you, Shikadai?" Inojin asked the boy who's eyes were transfixed on the fries. He looked up and shrugged.

"I didn't bring my game today, sorry guys." Shikadai sat back in the stall seat. The two boys just shrugged and turned their games on with a bing.

 _What a drag..._ Shikadai thought as he bit into his hamburger.


	2. Partners

Shikadai took the long way home from the restaurant. He was honestly getting tired of hamburgers and fast food along with playing video games at most breaks. He loved his game but he felt the game seemed to make the adults of the fourth war ranked. Shikadai had seen the power of his sensei, _there's no way he's just a C- card..._ The young Nara tried anything he could do to get his mind off the odd thing that had been happening every day for the past week. He'd go towards Metal and just stare at him. Just to his face and the little expressions he did at times. The boy sighed as he came upon his home in the distance. His mother, Temari, would be mad again he was late coming home. She'd always tell him hanging out with the 'bad' kids of the class would make him one of them. But he had to spend time with someone, the relationship between the three Ino-Shika-Chō was strained. Inojin would hang out with Boruto and he'd be included as the shadow of Boruto. ChōChō seemed to hang out with the girls more than the team of three they were supposed to be.

Shikadai opened the door to smell the aroma of food in the kitchen. He had already eaten but he'd know he'd have to eat homemade food now. No sound of his father home gave him a sinking feeling he'd be told how his friends were bad to be with, or that he should make other friends.

He wanted to make other friends, he just didn't know how. "Mom?" the small boy came into the room where his mother was making food for them. She was cutting a rutabaga up when he came in. She turned from her knife and gave her son a hug. She was mean at times but she was nice as well. At least at times.

"How were classes today?" she let the boy sit at the table as she continued cutting.

"It was okay." in truth it was okay, aside for this gnawing at him. He didn't want to talk to his mom about it in fear of what she'd say.

The door open to the house and his father, Shikamaru, came in. A spitting image of his father, Shikaku. He didn't have the large scars on his face but he had the beard. His tired expression on him changed when he saw his son, but cane back noticing his wife was there. He loved her but was a little overbearing at times.

"Welcome home, Hon." Temari said still turned around as she dumped the vegetable into a boiling pot, he came to sit down at the table next to his son. Shikamaru turned his head to face him and gave a sleepy smile. He'd been working every day since Naruto became the new Hokage, he'd been the shadow of the Hokage and he liked it that way. Although he'd much rather just watch the clouds roll by Chouji.

The food was served momentarily as Shikadai was about to open his mouth to speak, _maybe today isn't the time to ask._ He thought as he picked his chopsticks up to eat.

xxxxxxxx

"Now we are going to split up in partners." Shino Sensei spoke as he erased the large blackboard behind him. Most of the kids gave groans of working in partner. The class was off today in count as Metal was absent.

Shikadai stayed in his seat as Boruto partnered with him along with Mitsuki. The Nara boy liked working with Boruto but he was still skeptical of the new kid.

"Hurry up and find your seats." Sensei spoken louder in class, he was turned and writing on the board. Much to Boruto's ease it wasn't math, it was the introduction to the nature releases.

"Now, today we are going to talk about the Nature Releases and how they work against others and how they don't. Be sure to have your notebooks with you..." He gave a pause as the kids got their books out to write. Mitsuki however didn't much to Shikadai's disapproval.

"My Nature Releases are-" Shino was stopped by the door opening. It was Metal he was running late for class, something he never would do. "Ah Metal Lee...glad you could be here today." Shino's voice had annoyance from being interrupted while teaching.

"Find a seat and get into a group with someone...Shikadai! Get with Metal please." Shino Sensei took the note from Metal's dad about being late. It was about Lee making him and his son run 2000 laps around the city on there hands. All Shino could do was eye roll behind his visor.

Shikadai took his place by the window seat next to Metal. The smaller boy kept his face plain as Shikadai's eyes couldn't help to wander.

"Now as I was saying, my Nature Releases are; earth, fire and yang. Now how does one find out which they have? It is as simple as picking a leaf off the ground and holding it in your hands until something happens. That was the old way when I was growing up, now we have proper tests to find out."

Shikadai caught a glance of Boruto complaining over the lesson, he knew the boy wanted a fighting lesson not more lectures. His eyes went back to Metal who was focused on the Sensei. Metal knew his father had no nature release just Taijutsu, and his mother had none either but was excellent at Fuinjutsu. He was the only student in the class unable to pass the test to determine what he had. Metal hung his head low and Shino Sensei droned on.

Shikadai knew from what his dad told him about Lee and his son, how none of them can use anything but their fists but there was this thing called The Gates Lee could use along with Maito Gai, Shikadai wondered if Metal could or he was maybe too young to learn. Either way, Shikadai was ready ready to help his partner anyway he could.


	3. Curry, Kunais and Kunoichi

"Dad, how did get to where you are now?" a solemn question from Metal as he sat next to his father Rock Lee. The taller version of the boy looked him over with his large eyes. He never grew out of his childish face but he grew as a person in mind and spirit. He crunched his large eyebrows together to think.

"My youth got me to where I am now. Isn't that right Gai Sensei." the boy looked to a man that had the same haircut as him, holding his spoon with curry in it from their supper. Gai gave his smile at both of them, but Metal didn't smile. He knew he wasn't cut out for the Academy.

"Youth over your whole body will make you a splendid Ninja. Look at me. I had limited abilities when I first entered the Academy at your age." the man took a bite of his food.

"And I didn't have abilities. Gai sensei taught me how to be the ninja I am today."

"Yeah and he also taught you to be like him in **every** way." a woman with her hair braided into buns sat next to Gai, she picked at her food. It was Gai's night to cook food.

"What do you mean Tenten?" Lee asked her as he took spoonfuls of his curry on rice. The woman gave a sigh and shook her head.

"Leo, are you training Metal enough? Has he been doing his handstands?" Gai asked with enthusiasm as the boy sank into his cushion. Metal just wanted help not to do more exercises. Tenten tapped his shoulder to excuse each other.

She slid the door open and walked out closing it behind her. The night was hushed with only the sound of crickets and frogs singing their songs.

"What is it, Metal?" She asked crouching to be at his level. He looked down at his bare feet and looked back at her.

"I just want to know how to be like the other kids and pass the test..."

"I know that the kids now in days all want to be the same, but isn't it better to be yourself?" she asked making the boy begin to tear up in his eyes. "Your father can't do anything and neither can I, but we survived the war because we fought in ways we could. If what we have is a failure of talent then how did we live passed to war?"

The boy sniffed and rubbed his bandaged hand across his face to get the snot off him. "But I don't want to fail. I want to pass the test, everyone will think I am a loser."

"No one will think you're a loser." Lee came outside to check on his son. Tenten looked at him as he crouched next to her. "If they do, well, I've been called a loser as well but they do not think I am now."

"Listen Metal, if you try to be what everyone else wants to be you'll miss your chance to stand out. I've wanted to be a famous Kunoichi like Tsundae, all the girls wanted to be like her. I strived hard to be a Medical Nin... And I failed each time."

Metal's eyes widened at that, he thought everyone he knew never failed.

"It was a blow to my pride but I got back up and became the best ninja I could be." Tenten gave the boy a hand on the shoulder, he was trembling. The boy looked at his father, who gave a smile and a thumbs up. Metal smiled a wide grin only to come in for a hug at Tenten. She held the boy as Lee came to hug her.

"Thank you so much, Father." the little boy pulled away from her grip only to hug her back. "Thank you, mother. Now I know what I must do." He held on tight as the family hugged each other in the night.

 **Ew this took too long for me to post. Well, I was under the weather for a few days.**

 **(Gai stayed inside and ate all the curry. It was delicious)**


	4. Class Demonstrations

"What're in a good mood for?" Boruto asked as the pale blue boy smiled at the front of the class, his newest friend Mitsuki.

"I'm always in a good mood, Boruto." the boy said not turning his head from the Sensei at the class. He was writing on the board not paying attention to the class chatter behind him. "Besides I think it's fascinating to watch how people in this village work."

"Yeah but it's just Shino Sensei, he's boring at times." Boruto huffed and sat back with his partner for the assignment.

"I think he's fascinating. But not as much as to you, hm?" the boy looked down and spoke to Sumire who sat in front of him with her partner. The purple hair girl began to panic at those words. She knew she had a crush on Sensei but she didn't know that Mitsuki would know and speak it so plainly.

"You're weird sometimes..." Boruto spoke softly as Sumire continued to panic. She was becoming worried that how she felt was wrong, but she saw plenty of girls her age have crushes on their senseis now she felt awful.

"What is going on back there?" Shino spoke loudly to make Mitsuki break an unblinking glare off the girl and her to stop panicking. Shino Sensei turned back to the board and kept writing.

"Do you want to switch partners?" Metal blurted out to Shikadai who's eyes began to glaze over from boredom.

"Why would I switch?"

"Oh... It's nothing I was just asking is all." Metal focused his attention back to the board. But the Nara boy kept his gaze on him. He couldn't help his wandering eyes from going back to his face and into his eyes. They were so focused, so dark and foreboding and yet compassionate. Shikadai wished his mom was like Metal on that aspect. But he just kept his sights on him, which he would pretend he was looking out the window of the class.

"Now, class." Shino Sensei had put his chalk down and turned to the class. "I will now demonstrate some of my elements. Now my main use is my Kikaichu." He spoke as happy as he could but it hurt to force out the happiness.

"Not that old story again." the different voice made all the child snap their head to the sound. A man who seemed more animal than man stood in the doorway with Anko behind him.

"Kiba?" the man at the front of the class said under his breath at the sight.

"I heard on the streets that it was Element test time." the man smiled as he came in.

"Uncle Kiba?" Boruto said making the boy next to him look at him.

 _So this is an Inuzuka. I'd love to see their abilities._ The pale boy thought as their was words of confusion shared at the front of the class among the men. Shino Sensei wanted to show his abilities to the class but Kiba would steal the show.

All the girls saw the white dog come into the class making them all have a shared 'Awe'. Shino Sensei looked at the class who seemed excited about the dog and class guest.

"Don't worry I won't steal your spotlight." Kiba said to the man giving him a wink.

"Attention class. We have a guest speaker today, who will show you his own ability. Kiba Inuzuka, he shares the same element release as myself in Earth and Yang." the taller man stepped forward.

"but we should first understand each one in full before can use them."

Kiba gave an annoyed sigh at the man and took a seat at the door with his large and tired Ninkin.

"Now there is; Fire, Earth, water, wind and lightning. The basic nature releases, they are an advanced use of chakra control but once mastered they will help you and your teammates." Shino walked to his board and pointed at each one at a time. "Now fire and earth work together to make a combination attack. The same could go for water and wind. Water and fire, and so on..."

"Damn shino. You're going to kill the kids with boredom..." Kiba mumbled and rubbed his face.

"Moreover, two more forms of releases are Yin and Yang. Yin is the use of the imaginational and spiritual energy, whereas Yang is the physical and vitality."

Shikadai looked at Metal as the boy straightened up with each word spoken. "That is why I have you all working with partners to see if combined elements between each of you will work and how they are different. I understand that most of you won't be able to master the elements just yet, that is why each of you were given a folded paper. You may open the paper. On each is a made up element for each of you."

All the children opened the paper. Shikadai got water release, he looked over at the paper Metal had. It said fire.

"Now I will show-"

"Let me show abilities to the class." Kiba sat up fast making Shino open his mouth in surprise. He didn't want any demonstrations that didn't fit into the class subject. "Kiba!"

The man was too excited to listen and made a shadow clone. He used a transformation on the large dog to turn into another Kiba. The kids were holding their breath at this.

 _This isn't what I was teaching..._ Shino gritted his teeth at his friend's rash action. He had used the three clones to make a large monstrous dog. Many of the kids who were interested began to get scared at the larger than allowed for the class size dog with three heads.

Mitsuki smiled at the power, _so this is the famous tail chasing fang fang rotating fang technique..._

"Kiba stop!" Shino yelled at the large dog that began to lose it's stability. The large three headed dog blew into a white smoke cloud as Kiba and Akamaru fell from the tall distance, the white smoke made it difficult for Shino Sensei to run from the falling body of Kiba who had landed on his back and Akamaru who had landed on Kiba who made Shino get squished by the weight of them. Everyone in the class was silent as Kiba rubbed his dog who licked his hand and Shino who was stuck under them all making gaspy sound from loss of air _why me?_ Shino thought to himself.

"Can we go to lunch now Sensei?" ChōChō asked as all the other kids sat in silence at the ruckus that had happened.

 **Yes this chapter did nothing for anyone but it is a filler.**


	5. New friendship

The two boys sat at opposite places at the academy for their lunch. Shikadai had a hamburger he bought on the way to school, he looked over at Metal who was eating his rice with a plain expression on. Boruto sat with Mitsuki, the Nara boy felt a third wheel in this friendship. He sighed and ate the cold burger, but he wasn't hungry.

He picked himself up and tossed his food in the garbage can near the Academy doors. He looked into the door window and saw Shino Sensei walking back to his office.

 _Maybe I can ask Sensei about Metal's feelings on the assignment._ He pulled the door open and trailed after the tall man. "Shino Sensei!" he came to a jog to keep up with the man's long stride. He was just inches from the offices of the teachers. Shikadai felt intimated by the silver visor and the lack of eyes or expression on the man.

"Shikadai?" Shino Sensei was genuinely confused he'd be approached by one of his students that wasn't Sumire. The boy seemed sheepish about his confrontation of the sensei but he gave a sigh.

"Can I talk to you about my partner?" the boy asked getting a nod from the man who let him come to the couches in the waiting room for parents. There was an absences of that man with the huge white dog which Shikadai was glad about.

They sat down and Shino Sensei scooted closer to the boy, "What is it, Shikadai?"

"Well... You know I'm partnered with Metal and well... _what a drag._ He's acting a little weird about this elements assignment."

"Weird how?" _Did I offend someone?_ The man straightened at that words and saw the boy ease up.

"No, it just seems he's a little down about it. He asked me if I wanted to switch partners. I thought he'd be excited to do this project."

"Oh," Shino was happy to find the problem wasn't to do with him but he did feel bad he made a student feel bad about a project. "Perhaps I can speak to him abou-"

"No." the boy cut him off, "I don't want him to know I talked about him to you."

Shino gave a chuckle, he knew Shikadai wasn't normally like this. Tip toeing around and trying to be secretive. It reminded him of himself in a way of not wanting to seem too worried towards his teammates but he did it in his own way. Especially towards Kiba when they were growing up, he was happy that the Inuzuka came to visit but he wished it wasn't in that way.

"Well, we can fix something out. If I see he has any difficulties I'll be sure to address them with him. Okay?" Shino Sensei gave a smile to the boy and Shikadai heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Sensei." the boy gave a bow to the man who still sat on the couch.

"You still have time for lunch, best get out there and enjoy your time." Sensei said as the boy smiled back leaving the room and the building.

 _I'll try to help him too...only I wish I knew how._ Shikadai thought as he got back into the sun of outside. He subconsciously began to walk to Metal until it was too late. He stood dumbfounded at the boy, he felt odd looking at him but the boy looked back at him with a blank expression on.

"What is it, Shikadai?" the boy asked plainly and putting his rice down and looking at Shikadai. He never noticed how much the boy looked like his father but he had a more sensitive look to him. Metal shook his head internally to rid that thought.

"Um... I was wondering if you'd like to hang out with me after school." the Nara boy said but tried to continue his words, "We can get a head start on this project."

"But we don't know what we're doing with this assignment." Metal spoke plainly but looked at his feet, "But I'd like to hang out with you later today. If that is okay."

Shikadai smiled inside at this, "Yeah, it's okay. Why? B-"

"You sound like Sensei." Metal laughed making the Nara boy laugh as well at it.

"Shikadai seems to have made a new friend, much like you Boruto." Mitsuki made an obvious observation making the blonde haired boy look at the two. He just shrugged and continued to eat. He didn't mind if Shikadai made new friends which seemed to make Mitsuki jealous in a way.

xxxxxxx

The two boy walked down the street after school, Shino Sensei made them draw pictures in art of the scariest thing to them. All the girls and Denki drew pictures of the bugs of Shino's, Metal drew a pot of no curry left in it. Shikadai just drew something that would get him a good grade.

"Want to get something to eat?" Shikadai asked Metal as they came to the burger restaurant. The boy looked at the picture of the food.

"I have never had one of these, my dad says they aren't good for my youth." Metal said almost sad like at it.

"Well, one time won't hurt?" the statement made Metal look down at the ground, he wanted to try one just this time. He gave a nod and the two walked in. He didn't have any money but Shikadai seemed to have it covered. They were so many different things styles, he was surprised there were no Curry Hamburgers but he chose to go with the plain one, Shikadai's suggestion.

They sat at the stall seats and the green jumpsuit clad boy looked at his food, it smelt so good and looked tempting to him. He looked at Shikadai who was unwrapping the burger and he did the same. It let the steam of the beef patty reach his nose making his mouth water.

He couldn't wait to try this new food, and bit in. In an instant he was won over by the meal. He only ate beef with his curry but this was a new way to enjoy the meat.

"Here." Shikadai gave him a small cup filled with red sauce, "It's for the fries."

The boy took a slender fry and dipped it in, it was sweet but had a different flavour to his tongue. Metal gave a loud 'mmm' to the mix of flavours dancing in his mouth. Shikadai stared at the boy, the way he ate was somehow transfixing.

"I think this partnership will work out great." Shikadai said making the boy across the table smile hard at these words. He felt at ease as he ate his meal with his new friend.


	6. Like Father like Son

"Would you like to come to my house?" Metal asked just at the fork in the road in town. Shikadai looked down and thought. Visions of his mother standing over him for no coming home in time shown through his sights.

"Nah...my mom would kill me." _probably literally too_ he thought to himself as the young boy across from him nodded. Shikadai felt this odd thing in his mind but he didn't know what it was or why he felt this way. "Maybe tomorrow."

A smile spread on Metal's face, "You want to stay after school with me before we go to my home?"

"Sure, that sound fun." _it honestly does, even though I may have to do alot of exercises._ The Nara boy gave a wave and ran home to his parents. He shut the door silently to ensure that he wouldn't be punished for being late. But no Temari came storming to the door, except his father came strolling with his hands in his pockets of the large black romper he wore. His creme yellow coat was missing once he came home.

"Welcome home. I hear you've been making new friends." his father gave a smile, he heard from Shino when they'd meet in the Hokage's office about this monstrous epidemic causing people attack others. He was truly happy his son was branching out in friends.

Shikadai nodded and walked passed him to the kitchen to get something small. "Where's mom?"

"She had to get back to Gaara for something important." Shikamaru gave a smile for once, "Guess you'll have to hang out with me for a while."

"Dad, can I hang out with Metal after school tomorrow? We have this project-"

"I know, I know all about it. You'd think I'd say no." Shikamaru came to sit across his sin with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"Dad?" Shikadai couldn't believe he was about to ask this or in a way that sounded odd to the ear. The man put his drunk down and looked at the boy.

"What does it mean, when you can't stop staring at someone?"

"Well it depends. I'm not really good at this kind of thing, maybe wait until your mom comes back home to ask her."

"No!" the boy surprised his father, "I mean no, it's just..."

"Who's the girl?" his father asked making the boy shoot his sights back up.

 _Girl? Oh..._ His son looked down at the table grain and thought. _So this is what it is?_

"What is it?"

"Dad, it's not like that. I...catch myself staring at his eyes, his facial expressions, the way he eats the way he thinks..." Shikadai looked at his dad who seemed confused at the moment.

"Son, I think you like this boy." his father took a drink.

"But is it right to? Do you what how it makes me feel? I feel like some sort of..."

"What a drag..." His father said rubbing his neck and pointed beard. "I know how you felt. I felt the same way for one man especially."

"You dad? Who?"

 **Cliffhanger no jutsu. Well not really but it's a split chapter.**


	7. That's Youth For You

"Choji." a simple answer was brought forth making the young Nara think about it.

"Sadly, Our friendship didn't last us..."

"Why? Is it because you told him?"

"No. We just got married and it just ended there." Shikamaru took a drink from his beer glass and placed it back on the table.

" I met him when we were small. No one wanted to play with him because they said he would slow down the games," he took pause in his thought. "I became friends with him when no one else would, and I grew to like him over the years. We never left each other's sides."

Shikadai saw the smile on his father's lips, making him smile in turn. He never knew his father had a friend that he knew since he was young. "I was going to tell him but I...fell in love with your mother." Shikamaru seemed unhappy with the fact.

He wished he could have thought himself through before living a life of a lie. But he was happy he was able to have such a son like Shikadai.

"If you like this person, promise me that you'll never let them slip away from you. Even if this is just a small infatuation, just be sure to keep them in your thoughts."

xxxxx

School had gone by with ease, Shino Sensei was in a happy mood. He even went as far as lifting the load of homework.

"Now for this Assignment of the Nature Elements, yesterday I gave you all elements. This assignment will be a presentation, you and your partner must do research on the element both of you are assigned." Shino Sensei spoke to the class, Metal and Shikadai sat at the window seat again. The Nara boy kept his eyes to himself today, he tried to mull over what his dad had told him.

 _If you like this person, promise me that you'll never let them slip away from you_

"Shikadai, are we paying attention?" Shino spoke to the boy who had snapped out of his daze. Shino had asked him a question but it went completely unnoticed.

"Sorry, Sensei." He nodded and Shino just nodded as well.

"Metal?" He asked the boy who spoke the right answer. Shikadai's attention faded again. _Maybe I can tell him how I feel after school?_

xxxxx

"Oh boy, I am ready to run some laps around the city." Metal loudly announced but saw his friend's face seem gloomy. "would you like to pick what we do for exercises?"

"Not really...I'm not really in a training mood." Shikadai kicked a little rock off the side of the road. He heard a small sad sigh from the other boy. "Want to just hang out by the training field if I feel like it?"

"Of course! I'll race you-... Or perhaps we could just walk there." Metal laughed and the boys walked down the road.

It was a nice pace for Metal to take, he got to see the flowers, inside buildings and their products they sold. The sun was making him feel warm as he smiled with his friend. Shikadai kept his eyes to the road ahead as they came closer to the gate of the training grounds.

Three large tree stumps stood with notches from the many weapons thrown onto it. Shikadai stopped at a tree with the most shade and sat next to it resting his back against the hard bark.

The jumpsuited boy looked at the training ground and then back to Shikadai. He thought about what he wanted to do, he felt the need to train but he also felt he wanted to relax with Shikadai. The Nara boy looked at him with those teal eyes, Metal knew he wanted to sit down with him.

The grass was cool from The shade, Metal loved to exercise but when he was with Shikadai, he just wanted to take it easy.

"Can I ask you something?" Shikadai startled the boy next to him but got a nod of approval. "Do you ever feel like you like someone?"

"I like my mom and dad-"

"That's not what I mean..." Shikadai sighed and stood up from the ground. Metal stayed in his spot and watched the boy walk away but come back to sit back down again.

"I mean, you like 'like' someone and they're not from your family..." the Nara boy gave a defeated look and stared at his feet. Metal looked up at the leaves of tree that blew effortlessly in breeze. He thought about it, he never felt a way like that for anyone.

"I don't understand."

"Yeah me either." Shikadai heaved picking grass by the clumps in his hands. "Would it be weird if I said something to you."

"What is it?" internally the young Lee boy was panicking. He didn't know if he was going to be put on the spot and told he needed to improve himself to get on his father's level.

"I like someone in my class, and it's not a girl." Shikadai spoke, the boy next to him just stared. He didn't understand any Of what he said. "I like this boy in class. He's a great guy, gets a little flustered at times."

Metal understood that, he felt his heart pick up speed in his chest.

"I like everything about him; his eyes, the way he smiles, his haircut." Shikadai gave a chuckle at the last part to try to ease Metal who sat frozen. His eyes unblinking, he was in trance. "I guess what I'm saying is..." Shikadai felt his heart was going to explode from fear of what would happen. "I like you Metal Lee."

"I-I don't understand." Metal stammered to speak and got up to run away but his legs felt like jelly. He stood frozen in place.

"you don't?"

"I don't understand." He repeated himself unknowingly, his brain was blank. He didn't know anything about anyone liking him and this was all too fast for him. But his thoughts were calmed by a small kiss on his cheek.

He turned his head to face the boy that kissed his cheek, he had small tears building in his eyes.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...I'm sorry." Shikadai felt terrible he made this boy cry, he dropped to his knees and bowed to show he was truly sorry. "Please forgive me. You can pick another partner if you want to."

Metal dropped to his knees to look the boy in the eyes. They didn't speak, he just wrapped his arms around the other. Shikadai never got hugged like this, there was something he never felt in this embrace.

"You're not mad?"

"How could I be mad?" He broke from the hug and stayed on his knees. "That's your youth speaking to mine."

"Metal..."

"I like you too, Shikadai." the boy looked down giving a blush to his face. "Can I kiss your cheek too?"

A nod from the other boy made Metal get nervous of missing his cheek but he calmed himself and gave a soft kiss to him.

"Metal, are you and your friend ready to run laps..." Rock Lee came to pick the boys up only to see his son kissing a cheek of another. Lee was at first surprised but be was happy his son had found someone to share youthful times together. He smiled as the boys hugged each other again and stood up. _Maybe I'll skip the laps today._

"Metal? Are you ready to come home and eat?" Lee spoke up louder making the boys jolt but smiled when Lee came closer to them.

 **This isn't finished yet, it's only beginning.**


End file.
